The present invention relates generally to machines for the formation of confections such as sandwich-type comestibles, and more particularly to the formation of ice cream sandwiches consisting of flat wafers having a layer of ice cream disposed between them. More particularly, the present invention relates to such machines as employ the assembly of the ice cream sandwich in the vertical direction.
The preparation of ice cream sandwiches and the corresponding equipment known for such preparation has existed for many years. Particularly, equipment that relies upon the vertical assembly of the ice cream sandwiches by the extrusion of the ice cream and the conjoint delivery of adjacent wafers thereto, followed by the vertically downward disposition of the formed ice cream sandwich into an index wheel for disposition onto a conveyor for wrapping, packaging and later operations, is all well-known. Representative U.S. patents illustrating the production of such confections and the general operation of equipment for producing and handling them include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,794,404; 3,316,860; 3,119,353; 3,834,119; 4,078,362; 4,094,236; 4,098,057; 4,172,480; 4,213,417; 4,244,158; 4,421,019; 4,443,176; 4,447,458; 4,515,819; 4,537,121; 4,580,411; 4,580,476; 4,584,933; 4,612,852; 4,615,264; 4,628,664; 4,644,901; 4,729,589; 4,812,323; 4,989,720; 5,042,638; 5,493,957; 5,515,962; 5,523,103; 5,540,141; 5,652,005; 5,789,008; 5,931,086; 6,016,639; 6,039,988; and 6,824,799. All of the above are incorporated herein by reference.
The aforementioned disclosures include those relating to an extrusion-type ice cream sandwich making machine, which operates by the extrusion of the ice cream sandwich, the disposition of the thus formed ice cream sandwich into an index wheel having a plurality of slots, and the indexed rotation of the wheel into position for removal of the sandwich and disposition onto a conveyor for further processing and packaging.
Through the years numerous modifications have been made to the equipment generally disclosed in the aforementioned patents, to improve efficiency and speed of operation, and to correspondingly reduce downtime caused by misfeeds and the like. Notwithstanding the efforts that have been applied in such connection, certain aspects of the equipment continue to represent time consumptive delays and inefficiencies in processing.
One of the continuing sources of inefficiency and time cost occurs in the unwrapping of packaged wafers and loading of the wafers onto the inclined wafer trays or chutes that feed the cookies into position for the formation of the sandwich by the action of the extruder die or nozzle, and the index wheel that receives the formed sandwich. The wafers typically come packaged in a bundle and must be unwrapped and loaded onto the chutes in series by hand. These inclined wafer trays or chutes must be loaded by hand with unwrapped wafers, and the operator typically will be tasked with the operation of more than one machine or chute. Due to the speed with which the wafers are processed by the ice cream sandwich machine, the operator typically must remain near the machinery and normally will be tasked with loading opposing chutes on more than one machine.
Another problem to be addressed by the present invention is that the handling and processing of such frangible articles by and for dispensing machinery often leads to broken articles. If not removed from the processing stream, broken wafers can lead to poor product quality, and the required interruptions in the operation of the machinery for removing broken wafers from the chutes and machinery.
The present invention relates generally to an improved apparatus for unwrapping ice cream sandwich wafers, particularly those having a tab designed to open the package.
Some of the advantages of the present invention include reducing the need for unwrapping the wafers by hand, and thus eliminating a source of potential contamination and inefficiency. Using the present invention, the machine operator need not constantly attend the machine over extended periods of operation for loading the chutes by hand and clearing broken wafers, thus allowing the operator to attend to other duties or even attend multiple machines.
The present invention also allows for the more regular operation of these machines by removing broken wafers from the production stream, so as to eliminate the need for the chutes to be cleared of broken wafers by hand, and preventing undesirable products from reaching the point where the ice cream sandwich (or other confection) is formed.
The apparatus of the present invention may be applied to an apparatus as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,957, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Unwrapping Apparatus
In general terms, the present invention includes an apparatus for unwrapping a package of frangible articles bearing a wrapping material, the wrapping material having a rear portion and a forward tab, the forward tab adapted to open the wrapping material when pulled, the apparatus comprising: (a) a support member for supporting the package; (b) a grasping mechanism adapted to grasp the forward tab and to pull the forward tab so as to open the wrapping material; (c) an engaging mechanism adapted to grasp the rear portion and pull the wrapping material so as to remove the wrapping material from the frangible articles.
It is preferred that the frangible articles are in a series aligned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support member.
The apparatus may optionally and preferably include a vacuum to remove the wrapping material from the engaging mechanism.
The apparatus also may include a guide mechanism adapted to engage the frangible articles in a series and move the frangible articles along the support member.
It is preferred that the support member is in the form of a chute having a bottom and sides, and a longitudinal axis and a gap in the bottom and running along the longitudinal axis, such that, as the frangible articles are moved in the series, frangible articles in the series that are broken fall through the gap. It is most preferred that the bottom of the support member has a raised portion on either side of the gap, such that, as the frangible articles are moved in the series, frangible articles in the series that are broken fall through the gap.
It is also preferred that the support member is inclined to the horizontal to allow it to function with know ice cream sandwich making machinery.
The apparatus may also include a robotic loader adapted to grasp a package of frangible articles and place it onto the support member.
Method of Unwrapping Packaged Articles on a Conveyor
The present invention also includes a method of unwrapping a package of frangible articles bearing a wrapping material, the wrapping material having a rear portion and a forward tab, the forward tab adapted to open the wrapping material when pulled, the method comprising: (a) placing a package of frangible articles bearing a wrapping material on a support member for supporting the package, the wrapping material having a rear portion and a forward tab; (b) mechanically grasping the forward tab and pulling the forward tab so as to open the wrapping material; and (c) mechanically engaging the rear portion and pulling the wrapping material so as to remove the wrapping material from the frangible articles.
The method preferably includes placing the frangible articles in a series aligned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support member.
It is also preferred that the wrapping material is removed following step (c) by a vacuum, and that the support member is inclined to the horizontal.
Overall Machine Including Unwrapping Apparatus
Another aspect of the present invention is a machine for the preparation of a sandwich product comprising: (a) a sandwich product assembly station comprising an extruder nozzle mounted for discharge of a comestible filling material in the downward direction; paired wafer trays for feeding wafers against opposite sides of the extruder nozzle; each wafer tray having an apparatus for unwrapping a package of frangible wafers bearing a wrapping material, the wrapping material having a rear portion and a forward tab, the forward tab adapted to open the wrapping material when pulled, the apparatus comprising: (1) a grasping mechanism adapted to grasp the forward tab and to pull the forward tab so as to open the wrapping material; (2) an engaging mechanism adapted to grasp the rear portion and pull the wrapping material so as to remove the wrapping material from the frangible articles; and (b) sandwich indexing wheel rotatably mounted below the sandwich product assembly station, the indexing wheel defining a plurality of circumferentially positioned pockets for receiving and transferring assembled sandwiches for conveyance.
It is preferred that the apparatus additionally include a loader for loading packages of frangible wafers onto each the wafer tray, and that it include a conveyor below the sandwich indexing wheel for conveying assembled sandwiches, a wrapping device to wrap the assembled sandwiches, and a packaging device to which the conveyor conveys the assembled sandwiches. The additional conveying, wrapping and packaging apparatus may be of the type known and used in the art.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many modifications and changes within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.